A 34-year-old member asked:
What is the cause of polycystic kidney disease?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ashu Syalanswered
Pediatrics - Nephrology & Dialysis 32 years experience
Cause- unknown: Exact etiology for PKD unknown. Some researchers swear that genetics plays a big role-- hence ADPKD and ARPKD ( autosomal dominant type and recessive type). But then there are other tapers not genetically oriented. Some hypothesize-- something goes wrong in signaling at cellular level during renal development--- pronephro/ mesonephros/ metabephros stages!
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3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Linda Gromkoanswered
Family Medicine 50 years experience
Inherited disease: You inherit polycystic kidney disease, so it is reasonable to be evaluated if you have a parent with polycystic kidneys. Evaluation will likely include a painless ultrasound (sound wave) examination. If you know you have polycystic kidneys, you want to do everything you can to protect their function. At some point, though, you may need dialysis or a transplant. Talk to your doctor. LGromkoMD
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3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
Similar questions
A 46-year-old member asked:
Could polycystic kidney disease be cured?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. George Klauberanswered
Specializes in Pediatric Urology
Not cured: Other than by kidney transplant. Polycystic kidney disease is not universally fatal. Impaired kidney function can be controlled for a long time by diet ; control of hypertension if present. Occasionally symptomatic cysts can be marsupialised laparoscopically. But, as yet, there is no medical treatment to eliminate the cysts. Many require eventual dialysis or transplant.
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4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
What is polycystic kidney disease?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Quresh Khairullahanswered
Nephrology and Dialysis 44 years experience
See below: Polycystic kidney disease is a inherited disease in which fluid filled cavities ranging from microscopic to larger sizes upto 10-15 cm occur in the kidneys, causing them to grow very big and loose function. The patients may have no symptoms or present with blood in urine and sometimes kidney pain.Besides controlling high blood pressure there is no definitive treatment yet.Many studies are ongoing.
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5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
CA
A 34-year-old member asked:
How do you test for polycystic kidney disease?
3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kevin Griffithsanswered
Specializes in Nephrology and Dialysis
Renal Ultrasound: Polycystic kidney disease is usually diagnosed by taking a renal ultrasound of your kidneys to determine the number of cysts that are on each kidney. Usually, a person presnts with bloody urine or multiple UTI that will lead to a doctor taking a patient of the kidneys and diagnosing the issue.
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6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
What is the difference between multicystic kidneys and polycystic kidney disease?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. John Hammesanswered
Nephrology and Dialysis 30 years experience
Maybe no difference: Some cysts in the kidneys may be normal as people get older, and may not have anything to do with family history. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetically transmitted/caused (altho as many as 20% of patients have no family history) and in the long run frequently causes kidney failure. In polycystic kidney disease, other organs (blood vessels, liver, heart valves) may be affected also.
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5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
What shouldn't i eat/drink if I have polycystic kidney disease?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Jason Cogdillanswered
Nephrology and Dialysis 19 years experience
Consistency : Make healthy decisions: low sodium diet, exercise, no tobacco, and be consistent. Take prescribed medications, control blood pressure, avoid all nsaids, if diabetic manage it well, and like everyone it helps to have a little bit of good luck too. Get a nephrologist (kidney doctor) who will look for ways to slow/prevent loss of kidney function, and if needed prepare for end stage kidney disease.
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5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Nov 20, 2019
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